There are several types of 3D printing, and they are best understood by the form of material they use: filament (FDM/FFF), resin (SLA and DLP), powder (SLS and MJF), and metal (DMLS/SLM). Each one builds objects layer by layer, but uses a different mechanism, melting, light-curing, or fusing, which gives each its own strengths, costs, and ideal uses.
This guide compares the main technologies so you can see how they differ. It is part of our complete introduction to what 3D printing is; for the general workflow they all share, see how 3D printing works.
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3D printing technologies compared
The table below is the fast version. Each technology name links to its full section further down the page.
FDM / FFF (filament)
Fused Deposition Modeling (also called Fused Filament Fabrication) is the most widely used type of 3D printing, and almost certainly what you picture when you think of a desktop 3D printer. It works by melting a plastic filament and extruding it through a heated nozzle, depositing it layer by layer onto the build plate.
FDM is cost-effective, widely available, and beginner-friendly. The trade-off is visible layer lines and lower fine detail than resin. It is the right tool for prototypes, functional parts, and everyday printing, and the sensible first technology for almost everyone. Material choice does a lot of the work here; our 3D printer filament guide explains which plastic suits which job.
SLA & DLP (resin)
Stereolithography (SLA) and Digital Light Processing (DLP) both build parts by curing liquid photopolymer resin with ultraviolet light. The difference is how. SLA uses a focused UV laser that traces each layer point by point, while DLP uses a projector that flashes an entire layer at once, which makes DLP faster.
Both deliver extremely fine detail and smooth surfaces, making them the go-to for miniatures, jewelry, and dental models. The trade-offs: resin parts can be more brittle, and post-processing (washing and curing) is messier than anything in the filament world. For a deeper head-to-head with filament printing, see FDM vs resin 3D printing.
SLS & MJF (powder)
SLS (Selective Laser Sintering)
Selective Laser Sintering uses a laser to fuse fine nylon powder into solid parts. Because the surrounding loose powder supports the part as it builds, SLS needs no support structures, which frees up complex geometries that other technologies struggle with. The result is strong, durable, accurate parts, well suited to functional prototyping and small-scale production. The surface comes out slightly grainy, and the machines sit mostly in the professional and industrial tier rather than on desktops.
MJF (Multi Jet Fusion)
Multi Jet Fusion, developed by HP, also builds with nylon powder, but instead of a laser it uses an inkjet array to apply a fusing agent, then a heating element passes over to fuse each layer. Compared with SLS, MJF tends to deliver more consistent mechanical properties, a smoother finish, and faster build times, which lowers per-part cost at volume. It is a popular choice for production-grade nylon parts. If you searched for an “MJF printer”, this is the technology behind it.
Metal 3D printing (DMLS / SLM)
Metal 3D printing fuses metal powder layer by layer using a high-powered laser. Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) and Selective Laser Melting (SLM) are the main methods, and they produce real, functional metal parts for aerospace, automotive, medical, and engineering applications. This is an industrial-tier technology with higher costs and specialized equipment, and it is where 3D printing stops being a workshop tool and becomes a production process.
There is more to metal printing than DMLS and SLM, including binder jetting and directed energy deposition. Our dedicated guide to the types of metal 3D printing covers the full metal landscape.
Which type of 3D printing is right for you?
It comes down to what you value most:
- Lowest cost and easiest start: FDM/FFF. Best for beginners and general use.
- Maximum detail and smooth finish: resin (SLA/DLP). Best for miniatures and fine models.
- Strong, functional parts without supports: SLS or MJF (powder). Best for engineering and production.
- Real metal parts: DMLS/SLM. Industrial applications.
For most people starting out, FDM is the sensible first machine, and everything you learn on it transfers if you later add a resin printer for detail work. New to the machines themselves? Start with what a 3D printer is.
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